REPORT FROM UKRAINE

Tells about Yuri Shcherbak, 57, born in the Ukraine. At the end of 1986 he helped found Green World, an environmental party & non-Communist. In June, 1991, the chairman of the presidium of the Ukrainian legislature, a Communist named Leonid Kravchuk, decided he wanted to give the public the impression that things were changing by adding an opposition figure to his Cabinet. Kravchuk invited Yuri to become Ukraine's Minister for Environmental Protection & he accepted. On Aug. 24, 1991, after the failure of the coup in Moscow-and the downfall of the Soviet Communist Party-Kravchuk suddently announced his resignation from the Party & his conversion to the cause of Ukrainian independence subject to approval in a referendum to be held Dec. 1st. Tells about Kravchuk's earlier career. After he became leader for the Ukraine he continued the Party's policy of straddling the independence issue: he talked of sovereignty to appease the nationalists, and he talked of staying in some form of union to appease Moscow. He managed to stay astride the fence until Aug. 19, 1991, the firstday of Moscow's aborted coup. When the coup unravelled he renounced his Party positions. On Aug. 24, 1991 the legislature voted for independence. The declaration had one condition: approval in the referendum on Dec. 1st. The legislature added another item: the direct election of a Pres. Kravchuk became the leading candidate. Election results showed that more than 80% of the voters approved the Ukrainian independence. Kravchuk received about 56% of the votes & became Pres. without a runoff.